Working away . . .

Today is one of those days where you just wish that the rain would finally end. Seems like we have been having daily rain for weeks now. I am more than ready for the sunshine to return. There are just some things that I can not do very well inside effectively. I can work on my shuttles but the dust would not be so bad if I could actually do it outside. Plus when I get to the final coat, I really need to be outside for the smell factor. Then there is the thread dying that I would love to be doing right now. I find that the color often sets better if I can dry my threads in the sun for a while. Let's face it, I need the sunshine myself.....

Don't get me wrong, I appreciate that we are getting rain where other places are receiving nothing. However, I know a few people who would be more than happy to share some of their bounty with those places gladly. But it is what it is and nothing we can change about it. I just am missing the sun right now.

After the success I have had with both my shuttles and tatting, I am thinking about what I need to reinvest in for the coming weeks. Besides the wider color selection of threads, I really need to expand my seedbead collection. I have a few but with the number of items that sold with beads vs those that didn't have beads, seems I will need more. Also the smaller threads are in while the larger threads are good for the bracelets that sold. 

I am already working on the next set of shuttles by getting them all sanded and ready for the images to come. I have many images that I feel will work well that I have created over the years. It just took me a little while to get the two things I love together. I will be selecting images to cover about 100 more shuttles but plan on releasing them about 20 at a time. I am still unsure if I will release duplicates of the current images. I have enough new images to not ever repeat or even can generate new images to keep that from happening any time soon. Below is a full rendering from one of the shuttles that has already been sold. This will give you an idea of the difference between what can be fit on the blades of the shuttle and the image that is actually created.

The one who has this shuttle will be able to see where it came from.

I will most likely continue to develop my display capabilities for when I take my tatted pieces on the road. I must say that my copper pieces were quite the hit with the gentlemen in the crowd last week. Seems that they liked the way I had used the copper pipe and fittings to create something that their wives might use. I am looking at using "makeup" cases to transport both my demonstration materials and any items that I might have for sale.  Most of my shuttles were under glass but the ones that I didn't have that way were handled more than I was comfortable with. I will have to figure out a better way to use them in how I display things in the future. I was always on the look out for those who wanted to handle any of the shuttles I had set out as a part of the overall display. I may just have to get a couple more of the glass frames that I used to display the other shuttles that I have collected. 

There are so many new ideas running through my brain right now because I am sitting here writing this entry. But when I get done, they will all go away once I have quit and published. I am still on the look out for something to use as a proper thread winder that I can apply my images to. I am looking for a source for the 60's style flowers that one could have found everywhere just a few short years ago. Now I am lucky if I can find something even close. The  picture below shows how I modified them to turn into some very nice thread winders. However, getting the slit for keeping the thread from unwinding might just present a small problem.

This is what I created from 60's style wood flowers.

So this entry is actually becoming my working ideas for things running through my mind today. I did just receive a package from Handy Hands. I ordered various colors to expand the thread selection I have available to me. There are a few I wish that I had before my trip last week as I know that whatever I had made from them would have found new homes.

My new Lizbeth threads, size 40

I have the idea that I will be ordering more threads as I thought I had ordered a particular color but I guess I didn't. Isn't that the way it goes?

Happy tatting

Arial - the Tattered Faerie